Many people suffer from injury to the soft tissues of the wrist and carpal tunnel, which is often caused by frequent, sustained repetitive motion involving the hands. Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), or median neuropathy at the wrist, is a medical condition in which the median nerve is compressed at the wrist leading to paresthesias (a sensation of tingling or prickling), numbness, and/or muscle weakness in the hand.
Applying a splint or brace to the wrist can help limit the symptoms of CTS by limiting wrist flexion and maintaining the wrist in neutral position. Numerous splints and braces have therefore been developed for treatment of CTS. Such braces are typically secured to the hand and wrist using laces, buckles, and/or hook and loop closures (for example, Velcro™). But, wrist splints and braces comprising these types of closure systems tend to lose tension or loosen over time during use. For example, buckles can slide, laces can elongate, and hook and loop closures can loosen. This is especially a problem at the bend or break in the wrist where extra support is needed to maintain the hand/wrist in neutral position.